Float-actuated electric switches



March 17, 1959 J. E. vlTu 2, 5 I FLOAT-ACTUATED ELECTRIC SWITCHES Filed June 17, 1957 IN VEN TOR.

22 dnmssi. V/rz/ United States Patent 2,878,335 FLoAT-A'CTUATEn ELECTRIC SWITCHES James E. Vitu, Chicago, 111.,

assignor to Weil Pump Company, Chicago, 111.,

This invention relates to float-actuated electric switches and has for its principal object the provision of an improved construction of the character hereinafter described which will be highly eflicient in use and economical in manufacture.

An equally important object of the invention is to provide an actuator member for the switch, which member is rotatable and longitudinally movable by the movement of a float, the latter moved upon the rise and fall of the liquid level Within a vessel or container or the like.

Still another object is the provision for effectively sealing the switch-actuating member within a housing by a flexible material, resulting in a permanent seal, thereby to prevent any liquid passing into the housing containing the switch contacts and which sealing will not interfere with the dual movement of the switch-actuating member.

Another and equally important object of the invention is found in the simplicity of arrangement of the parts; the provision of mechanism for actuating an electric switch which by reason of its simplicity may be manufactured at an economical cost.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the novel combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings showing the preferred form of construction, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a submerged pump or other like mechanism, showing my invention associated therewith;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same with the parts thereof shown partly in section.

While my improved float-actuated electric switch may be adaptable for many different applications, I have shown the same associated with a sump pump 10, the electrical mechanism of which includes a power circuit in which the switch 11 is associated. The switch 11 is of a wellknown type and construction wherein by the slightest movement of the plunger 12 of the switch, the switch will be effective to make or break the main circuit to the pump.

Associated with the housing 13 of the pump 10, I provide a shaft housing 14 which in turn is provided with a flange 15 secured in any suitable manner, as by means of bolts 16, to the housing 13 and sealed therewith by means of a suitable sealing ring 17 of compressible material. The shaft housing 14 has a mounting plate 14 at its inner end portion. Mounted on this plate 14' and secured thereto by means of screws 15' is the switch 11.

The shaft housing 14 has formed therein a longitudinal bore 18, the outer end of which terminates into a counterbore 19, and the inner end of which terminates into an enlarged counterbore 20.

The shaft 18 has a threaded body portion 21, the threads of which operatively engage in the threaded portion of the bore 18. The exterior end portion 22 of the shaft 18' has secured thereto a connector 23 to which a rod 24 is connected. The rod 24 carries a float or other buoyant device 25. Within the counterbore 19 is firmly pressed a sealing ring 26 of suitable material which will provide an effective seal between the shaft housing 14 and the shaft 18' at its outer end portion.

Within the counterbore 20 is mounted a similar sealing ring or sleeve 27. The shaft 18 at its inner end portion has an integral reduced stud 28 which projects through the sleeve 27 with its end portion 29 in engagement with the plunger 12 of the switch 11.

As the liquid level 30 rises within the tank or other vessel within which the sump pump 10 is located, the buoyant action of the float 25 will rotate the shaft 18 in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. l. Inasmuch as the shaft 18' has threaded engagement with the threadbearing portion of the shaft housing 14, the shaft 18' by reason of being rotated, will be moved longitudinally with respect to the shaft housing 14, to bear the stud 28 against the plunger 12 to actuate the switch 11. The shaft 18' will move in an opposite longitudinal direction when the surface 30 of the liquid within the vessel or other container lowers, at which time the shaft 18 will be rotated in a direction to move the stud shaft 28 from hearing engagement with the plunger 12 to actuate the switch 11 in an opposite direction.

It is desirable that the sleeve 27 and ring 26 be formed of a flexible material such that while an effective seal is: provided, it will permit the shaft 18' to be rotated and moved longitudinally with respect to the shaft housing 14, without in any way breaking the sealing engagement or contact with the shaft 18.

The connector 23 and rod 24 may be related to each other in any manner such that the rod 24 can be extended at an angle with respect to the connector 23 to accommodate mounting the float-actuating mechanism within a vessel or container which is cylindrical in cross section.

From the foregoing description, it is apparent that I have provided a float-actuated switch which is relatively simple in structure and which because of the novel relationship of the elements accomplishes its intended result with a high degree of efliciency, in that the shaft 18 need only be moved longitudinally of the shaft housing 14 to effect opening and closing of the switch 11.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form of construction for carrying my invention into effect, this is capable of variation and modification without departing from the spirit of the invention. 1, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of such variations and modifications as come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patents is:

l. A float-actuated mechanism for actuating a switch in which the switch is provided with a plunger, a housing having a longitudinal bore formed therein, means for mounting the switch at one end of the housing with the plunger thereof in alignment with the long axis of the bore, a shaft mounted for rotation and longitudinal movement within the bore, a float arm, means for connecting one end portion of the float arm to the shaft, and a buoyant member at the opposite end of said float arm responsive to a fluid level so as to move through a circular arc causing said shaft to be rotated and threadably moved longitudinally of said bore to actuate said switch plunger.

2. A float-actuated mechanism for actuating a switch in which the switch is provided with a plunger, a shaft housing having a longitudinal bore formed therein and having at one end portion a mounting for the switch with the plunger of the switch in alignment with the long,

axis of the bore, a shaft rotatably and longitudinally mounted in said bore in engagement with said plunger, said shaft having an end portion extending exteriorly of the housing, a connector on the outer end portion of the shaft, 21 float arm carried by said connector, and a buoyant member at the outer end portion of the shaft responsive to a fluid level so as to move through a circular are causing said shaft to be rotated and threadably moved longitudinally of said bore to actuate said switch plunger.

3. A float-actuated mechanism for actuating a switch in which the switch is provided with a plunger, a housing having a longitudinal bore formed therein, means for mounting the switch at one end of the housing with the plunger thereof in alignment with the long axis of the bore, a shaft mounted for rotation and longitudinal movement within the bore, a float arm, means for connecting one end portion of the float arm to the shaft, and a buoyant member at the opposite end of said float arm, said bore at its opposite end portions terminating into counterbores, and flexible sealing members mounted in said counterbores in embracing relation with respect to said shaft responsive to a fluid level so as to move through a circular are causing said shaft to be rotated and threadably moved longitudinally of said bore to actuate said switch plunger,

4. A float-actuating mechanism for actuating a switch in which the switch is provided with a plunger, a shaft housing having a longitudinal bore formed therein and having at one end portion a mounting for the switch with the plunger of the switch in alignment with the long axis of the bore, a shaft rotatably and longitudinally mounted in said here in engagement with said plunger, said shaft having an end portion extending exteriorly of the housing, a connector on the outer end portion of the shaft, a float arm carried by said connector, a buoyant member at the outer end portion of the shaft responsive to a fluid level so as to move through a circular are causing said shaft to be rotated and thread: ably moved longitudinally of said bore to actuate said switch plunger, said bore at its opposite end portions terminating into counterbores, and flexible sealing members mounted in said counterbores in embracing relation with respect to said shaft.

5. A float-actuated mechanism for actuating a switch in which the switch is provided with a plunger, a housing having a longitudinal bore formed therein, means for mounting the switch at one end of the housing with the plunger thereof in alignment with the long axis of the bore, a shaft mounted for rotation and longitudinal mover ment within the bore, a float arm, means for connecting one end portion of the float arm to the shaft, a buoyant member at the opposite end of said float arm responsive to a fluid level so as to move through a circular are causing said shaft to be rotated and threadably moved longitudinally of said bore to actuate said switch plunger, said shaft having at its inner end portion a stud shaft, the end of which has bearing engagement with the plunger of said switch,

6. A float-actuated mechanism for actuating a switch in which the switch is provided with a plunger, a shaft housing having a longitudinal bore formed therein and having at one end portion a mounting for the switch with the plunger of the switch in alignment with the long axis of the bore, a shaft rotatably and longitudinally mounted in said bore in engagement with said plunger, said shaft having an end portion extending exteriorly of the housing, a connector on the outer end portion of the shaft, a float arm carried by said connector, a buoyant member at the outer end portion of the shaft responsive to a fluid level so as to move through a circular are causing said shaft to be rotated and threadably moved longitudinally of said bore to actuate said switch plunger, said shaft having at its inner end portion a stud shaft, the end of which has bearing engagement with the plunger of said switch. 7

7. A float-actuated mechanism for actuating a switch in which the switch is provided with a plunger, a housing having a longitudinal bore formed therein, means for mounting the switch at one end of the housing with the plunger thereof in alignment with the long axis of the bore, a shaft mounted for rotation and longitudinal movement within the bore, a float arm, means for connecting one end portion of the float arm to the shaft, a buoyant member at the opposite end of said float arm responsive to a fluid level so as to move through a circular arm causing said shaft to be rotated and threadably moved longitudinally of said bore to actuate said switch plunger, said bore at its opposite end portions terminating into counterbores, flexible sealing members mounted in'said counterbores in embracing relation with respect to said shaft, said shaft having at its inner end portion a 'stud shaft, the end of which has bearing engagement with the plunger of said switch.

8. A float-actuating mechanism for actuating a switch in which the switch is provided with a plunger, a shaft housing having a longitudinal bore formed therein and having at one end portion a mounting for the switch with the plunger of the switch in alignment with the long axis of the bore, a shaft rotatably and longitudinally mounted in said bore in engagement with said plunger, said shaft having an end portion extending exteriorly of the housing, a connector on the outer end portion of the shaft, a float arm carried by said connector, a buoyant member at the outer end portion of the shaft responsive to a fluid level so as to move through a circular are causing said shaft to be rotated and threadably moved longitudinally of said bore to actuate said switch plunger, said bore at its opposite end portions terminating into counterbores, and flexible sealing members mounted in said counterbores in embracing relation with respect to said shaft.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,043,530 Dezotell June 30, 1936 

